LiAngelo Ball's alleged shoplifting in China could land him in prison for 10 years

LiAngelo Ball’s alleged shoplifting at a Louis Vuitton store in Hangzhou, China might jeopardize not only his NCAA career with the UCLA Bruins, but also his NBA prospects—if not more. According to Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel, the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball could face between three and 10 years in prison after being arrested Tuesday, along with fellow UCLA freshmen Cody Riley and Jalen Hill.

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Even if Gelo gets off without a conviction, he could be stuck in Chinese custody for weeks. As William Nee, a “Hong Kong-based researcher of the Chinese court system for Amnesty International,” told Wetzel, defendants typically spend 30-37 days in detainment before they are charged, with Chinese prosecutors scoring convictions 99.2 percent of the time.

“I would say they could be in quite a bit of trouble if they have solid proof that they shoplifted,” Nee told Yahoo Sports. “However, part of it will depend on whether their lawyers, the university, or the U.S. consulate can advocate and negotiate on their behalf.”

The likelihood of Ball making “American-style bail”—let alone having his potential punishment reduced—could be slim without intervention from the U.S. government. President Donald Trump is scheduled to spend Nov. 8-9 in China as part of his ongoing tour through Asia.

There’s also the potential for LaVar Ball, Gelo’s father, to get involved. LaVar’s Big Baller Brand is scheduled to sell its merchandise at a pop-up shop in Shanghai on Nov. 10—the same day as UCLA’s Pac-12 China Game against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Arena. The company plans to open its own brick-and-mortar stores in Shanghai and Hong Kong in the coming weeks.